Charlotte

SunTrust Bank will increase the size of its planned regional headquarters in Charlotte by 19,000 square feet. The Atlanta-based bank will occupy space on four of five floors of a new 105,300-square-foot SouthPark building scheduled to open this fall.

Investor Carl Icahn criticized Matthews-based Family Dollar Stores for not being more aggressive in pursuing a deal with Dollar General, and said the board has been too concerned with protecting CEO Howard Levine, son of the retail company's founder Leon Levine (NCTrend, July).

Eaton will close its Charlotte clutch-manufacturing plant, laying off 84 workers by the end of 2015. The Dublin-based company will move Charlotte operations to plants in Indiana and Mexico. Eaton employs more than 4,000 in North Carolina, including 79 at a distribution center in Charlotte.

At least one analyst says a potential Dollar General acquisition of Family Dollar Stores could lead to heavy job losses at the discount retailer's Matthews headquarters. Goodlettsville, Tenn.-based Dollar General's business model is more similar to Family Dollar's than Chesapeake, Va.-based Dollar Tree's, meaning there could be many jobs with duplicate functions.

Stock market gains and low interest rates for borrowers are leading to a flurry of mergers and acquisitions nationwide. Charlotte-based Chiquita Brands International and Matthews-based Family Dollar Stores both face competing bids from outside companies.

David Darnell will become vice chairman of Bank of America and will relocate from Charlotte to Tampa, Fla. Darnell, 61, first joined the bank in 1979. He has served as co-chief operating officer since 2011.

Dollar General Corp. entered a counteroffer of about $9.7 billion − $78.50 a share in cash − for Matthews-based Family Dollar Stores. Chesapeake, Va.-based Dollar Tree made an $8.5 million bid for the discount retailer in July. Goodlettsville, Tenn.-based Dollar General said its offer would create a company with sales of more than $28 billion.

Grocery-store chain Harris Teeter, a subsidiary of Cincinatti-based Kroger Corp., will invest $5.5 million in a 50,000-square-foot expansion of its Indian Trail distribution center and will add 41 jobs over three years.

Bank of America's $2.5 billion acquisition of Countrywide Financial in July 2008 has cost the bank $52.7 billion, including settlements and payments to investors over faulty loans. The Charlotte-based bank is reported to be close to finalizing another $16 billion to $17 billion mortgage settlement with the Justice Department.

Mint Hill-based AC Controls will invest $4.3 million in a manufacturing and distribution center near Concord Regional Airport. The company, which makes valves and other components for customers including General Electric, Duke Energy and DuPont, will hire 15 workers and relocate 45 from its Mint Hill location.

After Chiquita Brands International refused their unsolicited $611 million bid for the produce company, two Brazilian companies are urging shareholders to reject Chiquita's merger deal with Dublin-based Fyffes. The shareholder vote on the Fyffes acquisition is scheduled for Sept. 17.

Chiquita Brands International called an unsolicited $610 million bid from Cutrale Group and Safra Group inadequate, and reaffirmed its commitment to the produce company's pending merger with Dublin-based Fyffes. In response, the Brazilian companies indicated they aren't ready to back down.

Electrolux said it is in talks to buy General Electric's appliance division. The deal would allow Electrolux, which had $16.7 billion in sales last year, to surpass Whirlpool as the world's No. 1 appliance maker. Electrolux employs about 900 people at its North American headquarters in Charlotte, and plans to double its workforce there.

Duke Energy is considering a plan proposed by Charlotte city staffers that would give the utility 128 acres of vacant land to bury 4.7 million tons of coal ash. In exchange, Duke would give the city a 42-acre site on which it currently employs about 250 workers at an operations center.

Duke Energy must submit plans by Nov. 15 for removing coal ash from its Asheville, Dan River, Riverbend and Sutton power plants. Those plants were flagged as high priority following the Charlotte-based utility's Feb. 2 ash spill at the Dan River plant.

American Airlines is urging state legislators to extend a cap on fuel sales taxes or exempt airlines from paying the taxes altogether. The fuel cap, set to expire Jan. 1, 2016, provides refunds to airlines for fuel taxes paid over $250 million.

Harris Teeter denied accusations that it sells milk produced at a small Haywood County farm that People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has accused of animal cruelty. Matthews-based Harris Teeter, which was acquired by Cincinnati-based Kroger Co. in January, says it has verified with its supplier that it doesn't receive milk from the farm.

Two Brazilian companies announced a counteroffer to buy Charlotte-based Chiquita Brands International for $610.6 million in cash. The produce company previously announced plans to merge with Dublin-based Fyffes by year-end, a deal that would require moving its headquarters to Ireland.